HUNNEMAN: Eyes on the road and the driver

When is it time to consider taking the car keys from your elderly family members and, if you don't do it, can the state of California step in and restrict or revoke their driver's license?

I learned over the weekend the
California Department of Motor Vehicles
would be deciding this week to either restrict or revoke my father-in-law's driver's license, or let him keep on driving like he has been for almost 70 years.

Pa ---- which is what his grandkids and great-grandkids call him ---- went to the DMV recently for a routine appointment. While there it was decided that, because of his age and concerns over his vision, he would need to take a road test to see if he could or should keep his driver's license.

My in-laws, who are in their mid-80s, live in San Diego and are still pretty active. They enjoy going to dinner, visiting with friends and, once in a while, driving north to Murrieta to see us.

When they do come here, we try to plan activities during the day so they can drive home before dark.

They also tend to go to their doctor's offices quite often, so being able to drive is crucial to them. Of the two of them, Pa is the much more capable driver.

And, at least once a year, as they did this weekend, they go with us to Tucson to their see their great-grandkids.

I have offered to pile everybody into one vehicle and drive, but they insist on taking their own car.

If Pa were to lose his license it would likely fall to us ---- 75 miles away ---- to get them where they needed, and wanted, to go.

I checked out the DMV website to see what might happen at his appointment on Tuesday.

The most common reasons the DMV restricts or revokes a license for older drivers are vision-related.

Restrictions such as no freeway driving or night driving and being limited to driving in a specific area can be applied.

Or the right to drive could be taken away.

These restrictions are all for safety reasons, of course, not just that of the drivers and passengers, but other motorists, buildings, trees, etc.

I also learned it is possible to "rat-out grandpa and grandma" by turning them in to the DMV.

You can let the agency know when you think a family member or acquaintance may no longer be a safe driver.

The DMV will contact the driver for a re-examination.

If you do this you must identify yourself to the DMV, but the agency will do its best to keep you anonymous so as not to ruffle any family feathers or, worse yet, get yourself cut out of the will.

We got the exam results late Tuesday morning.

"They said it was the best driving test they'd had in weeks," my wife said, sighing with relief. "There are no restrictions."

That's good news for now, however as our parents reach their 80s and even their 90s, keeping an eye on how they drive makes good sense.